Jewelry Favorites: Rings, Part 2

Just a few more rings today:

Green agate, $5. Yes, at a gem show. Totally different from my usual taste, yet I really like it. It feels very art-gallery-opening to me. Here it is on:

Hard to see in the photo, but there are tiny natural crystals sparkling in the center crevasse.  There's usually a little bling somewhere in my jewelry.  :)

This ring always gets comments. I *think* it's abalone (well, okay, I know it's abalone) but the top is domed and faceted and I don't know how the abalone gets under the dome. Glued to the inside of the ring and then the dome is set on top? Anyhoo, it has a really cool effect.

Everytime I wear it, someone asks about it. It's kind of moody and subtle-ly glam at the same time.  :)

A gorgeous turquoise:

Boulder (Royston) turquoise. I've written about boulder turquoise here and here on my other blog, if you want to know more about it. This was the first time I'd come across it, in Highlands, NC, at a store whose name I've forgotten...and I fell in love with it. I love how the simple setting really lets the stone stand out, and the shank is just as big and thick:

It's one of the most comfortable rings I own, and one I wear frequently.

Last but not least, my own design:

One of the fist stones I ever set. I'd been holding on to it for a while, and once I learned to set stones I knew it would be special. My father gave this turquoise to me and I wear it often and think of him. <3

Jewelry Favorites: Rings, Part 1

Rings are so much fun...and they can be so beautiful. Though in my younger days I wore lots of tiny rings - sometimes rings on every finger - now I usually wear just one statement ring. I've managed to find several special ones over the years:

Love the ornate work - There are little hearts in the corners where the top of the ring meets the shank, and lots of scrollwork down the sides. It looks Asian to me, and I have no idea what it means...or if it means anything. But the detail work is stunning.

And what stone is it?

Amethyst, you say...but it's actually fluorite. Fluorite is a very soft stone which isn't usually put into rings (because softer stones have a tendency to chip and crack...and rings have a tendency to get knocked around). So I'm pretty careful with it.

If you look really closely at the above shot you can see that the support under the stone has some scrollwork details in the center. Really amazing work!

Next up:

From a gem show...there's almost always a small booth with Russian jewelry, beads, ornaments, boxes, and other tchotchkes with the beautiful hand painting that Russia is known for, at every gem show. But you don't usually see the painting on rings. It hit both the "unusual and interesting" markers for me, plus I have a fondness for Russian lacquer work.

It's heftier than it looks:

A pretty thick base and shank. Comfortable on the finger and a nice statement piece. I haven't seen any more painted rings in several years (I assume because the price of silver has climbed so dramatically) so I'm glad I got this one when I did.

And another gem show special:

A little cockeyed because it won't sit up straight by itself.


A stunning piece of rhodochrosite. I don't wear a lot of pink, but I like it as an accent with dark brown, gray, or navy. This is another ring where the detailed metal work is really outstanding:

tiny balls, swirls, and leaves. And the other side:

A little more plain, but still with some personality.

Even the underside is well done:

Cut out back (I assume to keep the price down, less silver = less cost) but interesting structure underneath to support the stone.

Next time I'll show you a few more...

Glimpses

Just a brief post about things that I'm enjoying right now.  :)

A gorgeous red rose in a cracked glass holder. Sent two weeks ago (as part of a larger bouquet)  from one of my best friends and STILL thriving. Which is practically impossible in our chilly house in the middle of winter. I smile every time I pass by it in the living room.

Slightly blurry shot of NYE silver crackle nail polish (since removed, because I can only stand to have my nails done for like, two days). One of my other friends applied this just outside the restaurant - I had forgotten to do my nails, so we went to a CVS and bought this, sat down at tables outside a restaurant and she painted my nails. Then one of our other friends showed up and she painted her nails. Never underestimate the value of an impromptu manicure!

And while I'm on the subject of hands and hand-related things:

This ring was a gift from one of my best friends (the down-n-dirty manicurist referenced above). She makes jewelry and I fell in love with this...and it showed up on Christmas day.  Two glorious pieces of chrysoprase and her own metal work.

And last but by far not least, one of my Christmas gifts from my husband. Purchased from another jewelry artist at the Tempe Arts Festival in early December. It was the stone that sold me - such gorgeous color! And green is something I wear often, so this and the ring above will get a lot of outings. Plus, though I didn't know it at the time, this ring is a great counterpart to these:

They'll be gorgeous with white pants, chocolate brown, black (of course)...I love rich colors!  :)